Oakland Normal School
Oakland Normal School was in Oakland, Texas[1] in Colorado County, Texas. G. R. Townsend and then Robert Lloyd Smith served as the school's principals.[2] The school trained African American teachers.[3]
Robert Lloyd Smith taught at the school before becoming principal.[4] He was active in seeking to improve the lives of the community's African Americans and formed an improvement society for farmers.[5] The section where they lived was known as Freedmantown.[1]
Smith travelled from Oakland to Hampton Institute to speak and discussions included establishing an agricultural college in Texas following the Tuskegee teaching model.[6]
A historical marker was erected for the school in 1990.[7]
References
- ^ a b Washington, Booker T. (November 23, 1909). The Story of the Negro: The Rise of the Race from Slavery. Doubleday, Page. ISBN 9781105120381 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Oakland Normal School". Texas Historical Markers.
- ^ Zelade, Richard (May 16, 2011). Lone Star Travel Guide to Central Texas. Taylor Trade Publications. ISBN 9781589796089 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Smith, Robert Lloyd | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com.
- ^ Kletzing, Henry F.; Crogman, William Henry (November 23, 1898). "Progress of a Race, Or The Remarkable Advancement of the American Negro: From the Bondage of Slavery, Ignorance and Poverty to the Freedom of Citizenship, Intelligence, Affluence, Honor and Trust". J.L. Nichols – via Google Books.
- ^ "The Southern Workman". 1902.
- ^ "Colorado County Historical Markers". www.coloradocountyhistory.org.